Can National Data Sources Be Used
to Generate State Estimates?
National surveys are useful in providing information on the number of
people without insurance at a particular point, and their characteristics (age, sex,
income, employment status). An annual series of such surveys, which utilize consistent
methodology, can be useful in measuring changes in insurance status over time at the
national level. Title XXI requires that States submit assessments of progress
made in reducing the number of low-income uninsured children, for which States will need
to establish a baseline estimate of the uninsured. Therefore, States will not only need
annual aggregate data on the uninsured, but also data that can be differentiated by State.
The Medical Expenditure Expansion Survey (MEPS ) has been highly acclaimed as a
source of national data on the size, nature and characteristics of the uninsured,
as cited in the previous section. It does not, however, provide State-specific data, nor
is it conducted annually. Alternatively, the Current Population Survey (CPS) may
be a reliable source of State-specific information on the uninsured population
from year to year. The CPS is a nationwide monthly survey conducted by the Census Bureau
to determine employment status. The March Supplement of the CPS includes questions on
health insurance coverage which may be useful in helping States estimate and understand
the uninsured population. The advantages and disadvantages of utilizing the CPS for this
purpose are discussed in this section, as summarized from the September 1998 SCHIP
presentation of James Verdier, Director of State Health Policy at Mathematica Policy
Research.
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